Following Saturday’s British & Irish Cup match win at home to London Welsh, the

Cornish Pirates next game in the competition is away to Nottingham Rugby on

Sunday (ko 3pm).

Martin Haag’s ‘Green & Whites’ drew their British & Irish Cup Pool 4 opener 20-20

away to Cardiff Blues Premiership Select. The match was played at Cardiff Arms

Park.

The Cornish Pirates and Nottingham Rugby have already faced each other once already this season, the Pirates winning 18-14 at the Mennaye Field on the first weekend in September.

On Saturday the Pirates earned a thoroughly deserved 28-21 win in their British & Irish Cup curtain raiser.

The visitors opened the scoring in just the third minute when fly-half Will Robinson,

with the wind at his back, slotted a cleanly struck penalty through the Penzance

posts. 3-0.

Keen to respond, the Pirates did just that, and in positive fashion. Conditions were a

little damp and their line-out wobbled a little, but they were happy to handle, and

when open-side flanker Joe Atkinson lent support he burst clear to the line for fly-

half Laurence May to add the extra two points.

A penalty kicked by May extended the Pirates' lead (10-3), but Welsh levelled matters on 25 minutes when wing Guy Armitage scored a converted try (10-10). But the Pirates

once again made an impressive response. The centre partnership of Max Bodilly and

Tom Hendrickson, both products of the Pirates Youth Section, impressed in broken

play, as did props Adam Jamieson and Marlen Walker, and a converted try scored

by the latter put the Pirates back in front at 17-10.

The Pirates deserved to be ahead at the break, and they would be, despite Robinson

landing his second successful penalty of the afternoon right on half-time. 17-13.

Young rugby players from St. Agnes RFC provided a tag rugby exhibition during the

interval, whilst representatives from the Royal British Legion made their annual

collection at the ground in support of The Poppy Appeal.

May opened up a seven points gap with penalty kicked in the opening minutes of the

second period (20-13), however a try scored by determined scrum-half Josh Davies

narrowed the deficit. 20-18.

Man-of-the-match May was on target with his third penalty, making it 23-18, and 10

minutes later it got even better. From their 22’ the Pirates advanced up field with

replacement No. 8 Aaron Carpenter making initial yardage. Then, timing his pass

perfectly, it was worked to the hands of wing Jack Arnott who put on the burners to

scorch down the touchline. Touching down at the clubhouse corner, his was a terrific

score. 28-18.

Replacement fly-half Olly Barkley, making a return to a county where he learnt much

of his youth rugby, finished off proceedings with a penalty that earned London Welsh

a losing bonus point, which might just prove important in weeks to come. 28-21.

As for the Pirates, they will keep their feet on the ground but still ultimately fully

deserved to celebrate this victory, which was most welcome.

Cornish Pirates: 15 Matt Evans (capt), 14 Jack Arnott, 13 Max Bodilly, 12 Tom

Hendrickson, 11 Craig Holland, 10 Laurence May, 9 Alex Day; 1 Marlen Walker

(Tyler Gendall 65), 2 Tom Channon (Jack Innard 63), 3 Adam Jamieson, 4 Will

Graulich, 5 Brett Beukeboom, 6 Matt Bolwell (John Stevens 75), 7 Joe Atkinson, 8

Tom Duncan (Aaron Carpenter 36).

Replacements (not used): Jack Oulton, Will Cargill, Rob Coote.

Yellow Card: Evans

St Austell Brewery man-of-the-match: Laurence May

Attendance: 1,123